Overview

Lesson Procedure

60-65 minutes of class time across 5 phases.

1. Warm-Up5-10 minutes
2. Direct Instruction20 minutes
3. Guided Practice15 minutes
4. Independent Practice15 minutes
5. Closure5 minutes

1. Warm-Up5-10 minutes

   Students write for three minutes, then tell a partner. Collect four or five answers and write them on the board.

   Warm-Up Prompt

   "Think of a time when you knew something was wrong but stayed quiet, or a time when you spoke up. What made it hard or easy to speak?"

   Keep the stories general; nobody has to name a person. Tell students that today's story is about a whole town that stays quiet, and that they will talk about it in three ways: with the whole class, in a small group and with one partner. SL.6.1 names the skills that make those talks work (Diagram 1).

2. Direct Instruction20 minutes

   Part 1: What the standard asks. Show Diagram 1 and the table below. SL.6.1 covers three formats (one-on-one, in groups and teacher-led) and four parts. Define each key word as it comes up: collegial means respectful and cooperative, the way teammates treat each other; elaboration means adding details and reasons that explain a point; a perspective is one person's point of view; and to paraphrase is to say someone else's idea again in your own words.

   SL.6.1 discussion moves with sentence stems

   Move	Part	Sentence stem
   Use your preparation	a	"In paragraph __, I starred ..."
   Probe with evidence	a	"Can you show us the line that ...?"
   Build on an idea	main	"I'll add to what __ said ..."
   Ask a specific question	c	"Why does __ do __ in paragraph __?"
   Answer with detail	c	"I think ... because in paragraph __ ..."
   Ask for more	c	"Can you say more about ...?"
   Paraphrase	d	"So you're saying that ..."
   Reflect	d	"I didn't think of that. Now I think ..."
   Review key ideas	d	"So far we've said ... and ..."

   Part 2: The text under study. Students read the excerpt the night before and star one line. First give the setup in your own words: an Emperor who loves new clothes hires two men who claim to weave cloth that is invisible to anyone who is unfit for his job or very foolish. The Emperor sends his trusted old minister (a high government official) to check on the work. Explain a few old words: swindlers are people who cheat others out of money, stuffs means cloth, a post is a job, a procession is a parade, and chamberlains are officials who serve a ruler. The paragraphs are numbered so that speakers can cite them, and [...] marks places where parts of the story are left out.

   [...]

   1Life was very gay in the great town where he lived; hosts of strangers came to visit it every day, and among them one day two swindlers. They gave themselves out as weavers, and said that they knew how to weave the most beautiful stuffs imaginable. Not only were the colours and patterns unusually fine, but the clothes that were made of the stuffs had the peculiar quality of becoming invisible to every person who was not fit for the office he held, or if he was impossibly dull.

   [...]

   2So the good old minister went into the room where the two swindlers sat working at the empty loom.

   3'Heaven preserve us!' thought the old minister, opening his eyes very wide. 'Why, I can't see a thing!' But he took care not to say so.

   4Both the swindlers begged him to be good enough to step a little nearer, and asked if he did not think it a good pattern and beautiful colouring. They pointed to the empty loom, and the poor old minister stared as hard as he could, but he could not see anything, for of course there was nothing to see.

   5'Good heavens!' thought he, 'is it possible that I am a fool. I have never thought so, and nobody must know it. Am I not fit for my post? It will never do to say that I cannot see the stuffs.'

   6'Well, sir, you don't say anything about the stuff,' said the one who was pretending to weave.

   7'Oh, it is beautiful! quite charming!' said the old minister, looking through his spectacles; 'this pattern and these colours! I will certainly tell the Emperor that the stuff pleases me very much.'

   [...]

   8Then the Emperor walked along in the procession under the gorgeous canopy, and everybody in the streets and at the windows exclaimed, 'How beautiful the Emperor's new clothes are! What a splendid train! And they fit to perfection!' Nobody would let it appear that he could see nothing, for then he would not be fit for his post, or else he was a fool.

   9None of the Emperor's clothes had been so successful before.

   10'But he has got nothing on,' said a little child.

   11'Oh, listen to the innocent,' said its father; and one person whispered to the other what the child had said. 'He has nothing on; a child says he has nothing on!'

   12'But he has nothing on!' at last cried all the people.

   13The Emperor writhed, for he knew it was true, but he thought 'the procession must go on now,' so held himself stiffer than ever, and the chamberlains held up the invisible train.

   Part 3: A model teacher-led discussion. Read the transcript below aloud, with volunteers taking the parts. It was written for this page. Pause after each worked example below and ask, "Which move from the table did that speaker make?"

   1Mr. Brennan: Here is our question. In paragraphs 2 to 7, the old minister cannot see any cloth, but he praises it anyway. Why? Start by reading us the line you starred last night.

   2Keisha: I starred paragraph 5: "It will never do to say that I cannot see the stuffs." I think he lies because he's scared. If he says he can't see it, everyone will think he's a fool.

   3Mr. Brennan: Who can add to Keisha's idea?

   4Tomás: I'll add to it. Keisha said he's scared of looking like a fool, and paragraph 1 tells us there's more to it. The cloth is supposed to be invisible to anyone who "was not fit for the office he held." So if he admits it, he could lose his job, not just look silly.

   5Mr. Brennan: So now we have two fears: looking foolish and losing the job. Ben, you had a question in your notes.

   6Ben: Yes. Why doesn't the minister just ask the swindlers to show him one thread up close? Wouldn't that settle it?

   7Lily: I don't think he dares. He thinks the swindlers can see it.

   8Mr. Brennan: Lily, can you say more? What details make him believe that?

   9Lily: In paragraph 4 the swindlers act like the cloth is real. They ask "if he did not think it a good pattern and beautiful colouring," and they point to the loom. When somebody acts that sure, you start to doubt yourself.

   10Ben: Oh. So he isn't only scared. He really wonders if something is wrong with him. In paragraph 5 he asks himself, "is it possible that I am a fool."

   11Mr. Brennan: Let's review before we move on. What key ideas have we heard?

   12Keisha: I said the minister lies because he's afraid of looking foolish. Tomás added that he's also afraid of losing his job. Lily and Ben showed that he starts to doubt himself because the swindlers act so sure.

   13Mr. Brennan: That's a clear review. Tomorrow we'll look at the child in paragraph 10 and ask what makes the child different.

   • A prepared opening in a teacher-led discussion (paragraphs 1-2)

     Mr. Brennan asks why the minister praises the cloth and adds, "Start by reading us the line you starred last night." Keisha reads paragraph 5 of the story.

     Result: The teacher asks for preparation first, so the first answer comes with evidence: "It will never do to say that I cannot see the stuffs." Keisha then states her own idea clearly in one sentence and gives a reason: he is scared people will think he is a fool.

   • Building on an idea with new evidence (paragraph 4)

     Tomás: "I'll add to it. Keisha said he's scared of looking like a fool, and paragraph 1 tells us there's more to it."

     Result: Tomás names Keisha's idea, then adds a line from paragraph 1 (the cloth is invisible to anyone who "was not fit for the office he held") and a new point: the minister could lose his job. Building on an idea means adding something, not just agreeing.

   • Posing a specific question (paragraphs 5-7)

     Ben: "Why doesn't the minister just ask the swindlers to show him one thread up close? Wouldn't that settle it?"

     Result: Ben's question is specific: it names one character and one action, so classmates know exactly what to answer. Compare a vague question such as "What did you think?" Lily gives a first answer: the minister does not dare, because he thinks the swindlers can see the cloth.

   • Responding with elaboration and detail (paragraphs 8-9)

     Mr. Brennan: "Lily, can you say more? What details make him believe that?"

     Result: Lily elaborates with two details from paragraph 4: the swindlers ask "if he did not think it a good pattern and beautiful colouring," and they point to the loom. Then she explains why the details matter: when somebody acts that sure, you start to doubt yourself.

   • Reflecting and reviewing key ideas (paragraphs 10-12)

     Ben: "Oh. So he isn't only scared." Then Mr. Brennan asks for a review, and Keisha answers.

     Result: Ben reflects: Lily's point changes his idea, and he supports the new idea with "is it possible that I am a fool." Keisha reviews the key ideas and credits each speaker: fear of looking foolish, fear of losing the job, and self-doubt.

   Point out that nobody in this discussion said "I agree" and stopped. Each speaker added a line, a detail or a new idea, and the review at the end showed where the class had got to.

3. Guided Practice15 minutes

   Groups of four read the group transcript below (written for this page) aloud, one speaker's part each. In it, four sixth graders plan a poster. Groups mark with a highlighter every place where the speakers set a goal, set a deadline, give out a role, or follow or break a class rule. Then show Diagram 2.

   1Rosa: Our job is a poster that answers Mr. Brennan's question: "Why do the characters pretend to see the clothes?" What should our goal be?

   2Aiden: Three reasons, and each reason needs a line from the story with its paragraph number.

   3Kofi: And a deadline. Posters are due at 2:10, so let's have all three reasons picked by 1:55. That leaves fifteen minutes to write.

   4June: Okay. Do we need roles? There are four of us and four jobs on the card.

   5Rosa: Let's use them. Kofi, you're the timekeeper. June, you write on the poster. I'll check that every line is really in the story, and Aiden presents. And remember our class chart: one person talks at a time, and we disagree with the idea, not the person.

   6Aiden: First reason: they're afraid. Paragraph 8 says, "Nobody would let it appear that he could see nothing."

   7June: Wait, doesn't that mean the opposite? It sounds like they could see something.

   8Rosa: Let me check. The whole sentence is "Nobody would let it appear that he could see nothing, for then he would not be fit for his post, or else he was a fool." So they saw nothing but hid it. Aiden's line works.

   9June: My second reason is that people copy each other. In paragraph 11,

   10Kofi: Copying? That's silly. They're grown-ups. They should think for themselves.

   11Rosa: Kofi, June wasn't finished. One person at a time.

   12Kofi: Sorry, June. Go ahead.

   13June: In paragraph 11, "one person whispered to the other what the child had said," and soon everybody says it. So people copy the truth the same way they copied the lie.

   14Kofi: Okay, that changes my mind. Copying works both ways. It's 1:52, by the way.

   15Aiden: For the third reason, what about the Emperor? In paragraph 13 he knows the truth, but he thinks "the procession must go on now."

   16Rosa: So he's too proud to stop. That's three reasons with three lines, and it's 1:54. June, you can start writing.

   Debrief with three questions. (1) What goal and deadline did the group set in paragraphs 1-3? Three reasons, each with a line and a paragraph number, picked by 1:55, so that there are fifteen minutes to write before 2:10. (2) Which class rule was broken, and how did the group handle it? In paragraph 10 Kofi cuts June off before she finishes. Rosa reminds him of the rule, he apologizes, and June finishes her point in paragraph 13. (3) Did the roles help? Rosa's job as line checker settles June's worry about the quotation in paragraph 8, and Kofi, the timekeeper, calls out the time.

4. Independent Practice15 minutes

   Students read the transcript of a one-on-one talk between two partners, Grace and Omar (written for this page), about the end of the story. They answer quiz questions 1-10 on their own with the transcript and the story open, then questions 11-20, which ask them to use the standard in new situations and to write their own discussion moves.

   1Grace: I'll start. Last night I read the ending twice and wrote down what the father says in paragraph 11: "Oh, listen to the innocent." I think "innocent" there means the child doesn't know the rules the grown-ups follow. So here's my question: was the child brave, or did the child just not know any better?

   2Omar: I think the child was brave. Everyone else was cheering. It's hard to say something different from a whole crowd.

   3Grace: Can you give me an example from the story that shows it was hard?

   4Omar: Sure. In paragraph 8, everybody "in the streets and at the windows" is saying how beautiful the clothes are. Then in paragraph 10 the child is the only one who says the truth out loud, and it's a little child, smaller than everyone there.

   5Grace: So you're saying the child spoke up even though the whole crowd said the opposite. I see that. But I still think the child didn't know it was risky. The grown-ups were scared of looking unfit for their jobs. A little child doesn't have a job to lose.

   6Omar: Hmm, that's a good point. Paragraph 8 also says the grown-ups stayed quiet because "then he would not be fit for his post, or else he was a fool." A child has no post.

   7Grace: Right. What do you think about the father? Is he on the child's side?

   8Omar: I think so. He says "listen," so he wants people to pay attention. Right after that, "one person whispered to the other what the child had said."

   9Grace: That makes me think of something. Maybe the child didn't have to be brave, but the father did. He's a grown-up with a post to lose, and he still told people to listen.

   10Omar: I didn't think of that. He's the first grown-up to say the child is worth hearing. So maybe the brave one is the father, and the child is the honest one.

   11Grace: Let me review what we have. You think the child was brave because the whole crowd was cheering. I think the child had nothing to lose. And now we both think the father took a real risk.

   12Omar: That's fair. I still think it's hard for any kid to talk in front of a crowd, though. Let's bring both ideas to the class discussion tomorrow.

5. Closure5 minutes

   Exit ticket: "Write one move from today's table that you will use in your next discussion, and the exact words you will say." Sort the tickets by part (a-d) to plan partners for Activity 1.

   Teacher note on the text. The excerpt comes from a 1911 English edition and keeps its British spellings ("colours," "colouring") and older words exactly as printed. The story ends with the Emperor walking in the parade with no clothes on; the excerpt says only that "he has nothing on," and most sixth graders know the tale. Keep the talk on why the characters stay quiet, not on the joke.

   Homework. Tonight students prepare for and hold a short one-on-one discussion about the story, then plan for a group discussion. Show them the homework directions and the rubric before they leave.

Differentiation Strategies

Assessment Guidance

1. Question 1 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   In paragraph 1 of the partners' transcript, how does Grace show that she came to the discussion prepared?

   AShe asks Omar to retell the whole story before they begin BShe says she read the ending twice and wrote down the father's words CShe reminds Omar of the two discussion rules posted on the class chart DShe tells Omar which role each partner will take today

2. Question 2 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   Which description fits the question Grace asks at the end of paragraph 1?

   AA yes-or-no question about whether Omar liked the story BA question that asks Omar to define the old word "procession" for her CA question about how many minutes the partners have left DA specific question that offers two ways to explain the child

3. Question 3 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   In paragraph 4, Omar answers Grace's request for an example. What makes his answer detailed?

   AHe cites the cheering crowd (paragraph 8) and the child (paragraph 10) BHe repeats his claim from paragraph 2 again, using stronger and louder words CHe tells Grace about a different story he read last year DHe asks Grace to find an example in the story for him

4. Question 4 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   In paragraph 5, Grace says, "So you're saying the child spoke up even though the whole crowd said the opposite." What is she doing?

   AAgreeing with Omar completely and giving up her own idea about the child BAsking Omar to check a quotation from the story CParaphrasing Omar's idea before giving a different view DReviewing the key ideas of the whole talk at the end

5. Question 5 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   Which sentence from paragraph 5 states Grace's own idea most clearly?

   A"So you're saying the child spoke up even though the whole crowd said the opposite." B"But I still think the child didn't know it was risky." C"I see that." D"The grown-ups were scared of looking unfit for their jobs."

6. Question 6 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   Why does Grace ask, "Can you give me an example from the story that shows it was hard?" (paragraph 3)?

   ATo end the talk, because the partners disagree BTo show that Omar misread paragraph 8 CTo bring a third student into the discussion DTo probe Omar's idea by asking for evidence

7. Question 7 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   In paragraph 6, Omar quotes paragraph 8 of the story. What does the quotation do in the discussion?

   AIt supports Grace's point that the grown-ups had jobs to lose BIt proves that the child was the bravest person in the town CIt shows that Omar did not read the story before class DIt moves the topic from the child to the two swindlers

8. Question 8 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   In paragraph 9, Grace says, "That makes me think of something." How does she build on Omar's answer about the father?

   AShe repeats Omar's words exactly and agrees with him BShe uses his point to suggest the father was the brave one CShe tells Omar that his point about the father is off the topic DShe asks the teacher to decide which partner is right

9. Question 9 of 20 · Multiple Choice

   What in paragraph 10 shows that Omar understands a point of view different from his first one?

   AHe repeats that the child was brave and will not change BHe asks Grace to explain the word "innocent" again CHe admits he missed Grace's idea and changes his own DHe ends the discussion before Grace can answer him

10. Question 10 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    What does Grace do in paragraph 11 of the partners' transcript?

    AShe asks Omar a new question about the swindlers BShe sets a deadline for their next conversation CShe reads a new part of the story out loud DShe reviews the key ideas that both partners gave

11. Question 11 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    A group's class chart has two rules: "One person talks at a time" and "Disagree with the idea, not the person." Dev disagrees with Ana's reason. Which comment follows both rules?

    A"Ana, you never pick good reasons, so let me do this one." B"When Ana is done: I disagree with that reason, because of paragraph 8." C"Wait, wait, I'm cutting in right now, because my point matters more than hers." D"That reason is silly, and so is anybody who agrees with it."

12. Question 12 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    Which statement sets a specific goal and a deadline for a group?

    A"Before the 10:25 bell, pick two lines that show the minister's fear." B"Let's just talk about the story for a while and see where it ends up taking us." C"We should probably try to finish at some point, if we can." D"Everybody work hard today and do the best job possible."

13. Question 13 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    A group of three has 15 minutes to find one line from the story for each of three reasons and read the lines to the class. Which set of roles fits this task best?

    AThree readers who all read every line out loud together at the same time BOne member who does every job while the other two watch CNo roles at all, since only groups of four need them DA timekeeper, a line checker who confirms paragraphs, and a reader

14. Question 14 of 20 · Multiple Choice

    In a teacher-led discussion, the teacher asks, "How do the people in the crowd change after the child speaks?" Which answer responds with the most elaboration and detail?

    A"They just change, the way people in stories usually do, and I think that is really all there is to say." B"The crowd was the part I liked best, because it was pretty funny." C"First they praise the clothes; after the child speaks, they whisper it, then shout it (paragraphs 11-12)." D"I agree with what the last person said about the crowd, so I don't really have anything else to add."

15. Question 15 of 20 · Short Answer

    Write one specific question about paragraphs 2-7 of the story that you could ask a partner. Name the paragraph your question comes from, and explain in one sentence why it cannot be answered with just yes or no.

    Show model answer

16. Question 16 of 20 · Short Answer

    Omar ends by saying, "I still think it's hard for any kid to talk in front of a crowd" (paragraph 12 of the partners' transcript). Write a two- or three-sentence reply that builds on his idea, gives a detail from the story, and states your own idea clearly.

    Show model answer

17. Question 17 of 20 · Short Answer

    Paraphrase Grace's first view and Omar's first view in one sentence each, using your own words. Then write one sentence of reflection: which view is closer to yours now, and why?

    Show model answer

18. Question 18 of 20 · Short Answer

    In a teacher-led discussion about the Emperor, three students said: Jada: "He cares more about looking good than about his people." Marco: "He is scared, like the minister, of being called unfit." Wen: "He keeps walking at the end because stopping would be even more embarrassing." The teacher asks you to review the key ideas. Write two or three sentences.

    Show model answer

19. Question 19 of 20 · Short Answer

    Your group of four has 20 minutes to make a poster that answers, "What lesson does the story teach?" Write a plan with two class rules you will follow, a specific goal, a deadline as a clock time, and a role for each member. Explain in a phrase why each role is needed.

    Show model answer

20. Question 20 of 20 · Short Answer

    Write the first two or three sentences you would say to start a one-on-one discussion about the minister's words "Oh, it is beautiful! quite charming!" (paragraph 7). Your opening should show what you read or studied and end with a question for your partner.

    Show model answer

These standards connect to SL.6.1: prerequisites to review first, parallel standards at the same level, and next steps that build on it.

Standard text: Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy. © Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.